Ulla Matussek is beautiful, generous, talented and spirited - an exceptional ambassadress (is that a word?) for Germany. We met in New York City at a diplomatic affair in 2009 when Thomas Matussek was the German Ambassador to the U.N. and felt a connection and a common passion for the music of 20s and 30s Berlin. Ulla has also painted. Her singing passions lead her to classical music and Lieder. The two used to give great party's in the Central Park boathouse in late summer around German Unity Day - Rob and I miss those. Thomas is the ambassador to India, a post he already held once before, some 25 years ago.
When I shared the news of my fellowship Ulla was excited. "We'll throw a Berlin Party while you're here...And maybe an afternoon tea to give them a taste of it." She's been an angel to my journey, helping secure Lufthansa's sponsorship of the Frankfurt-Delhi-Frankfut portion of my flight and venturing out to hear musicians I might like to work with while I'm here.
She set the Berlin party, Berlin Night, for March 24th and the tea for March 9th. Recently a young German traveler named Felix Hofmann contacted the Embassy offering piano instruction. Ulla immediately engaged him for the tea. Felix has got the music of the Weimar era in his bones. He's laughs gleefully as he's playing it. Not yet a confident improvisational player, he nonetheless came up to speed quickly with the old scores she and I put in front of him. The tea featured solos by Ulla and I including Life's a Swindle, Mack the Knife, Falling in Love Again, Beware of Blonde Women, Liu Lila, I Want to Be Happy, and a zippy duet of Tea for Two in both German and English.
Speaking of old music, to give the space some 20s flair, Ulla had several of the old covers of her father's sheet music blown up into posters and framed for the walls. A friend brought some old Berlin films from Germany which she has playing on a huge vintage projection screen in the dining room. Some 65 ladies, mostly Indian, attended and were transported. Tea, coffee and a banquet table full of cakes and cookies followed. It was fun!
When I shared the news of my fellowship Ulla was excited. "We'll throw a Berlin Party while you're here...And maybe an afternoon tea to give them a taste of it." She's been an angel to my journey, helping secure Lufthansa's sponsorship of the Frankfurt-Delhi-Frankfut portion of my flight and venturing out to hear musicians I might like to work with while I'm here.
She set the Berlin party, Berlin Night, for March 24th and the tea for March 9th. Recently a young German traveler named Felix Hofmann contacted the Embassy offering piano instruction. Ulla immediately engaged him for the tea. Felix has got the music of the Weimar era in his bones. He's laughs gleefully as he's playing it. Not yet a confident improvisational player, he nonetheless came up to speed quickly with the old scores she and I put in front of him. The tea featured solos by Ulla and I including Life's a Swindle, Mack the Knife, Falling in Love Again, Beware of Blonde Women, Liu Lila, I Want to Be Happy, and a zippy duet of Tea for Two in both German and English.
Speaking of old music, to give the space some 20s flair, Ulla had several of the old covers of her father's sheet music blown up into posters and framed for the walls. A friend brought some old Berlin films from Germany which she has playing on a huge vintage projection screen in the dining room. Some 65 ladies, mostly Indian, attended and were transported. Tea, coffee and a banquet table full of cakes and cookies followed. It was fun!
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